Not currently on display at the V&A

Wallpaper Frieze

ca. 1900 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

‘The object is to place before children such pictures as are well drawn and well coloured and thus training the eye in infancy to discriminate and enjoy artistic work.’
Liberty Bazaar, 1898

These wallpaper friezes were produced by British illustrator and poster designer John Hassall for Liberty & Co. around the turn of the twentieth century, a time when designing for children’s nurseries was very fashionable. They were part of a wider collaboration between Hassall and fellow artist Cecil Aldin, ‘Art for the Nursery’, which was aimed at making the appearance of children's rooms more attractive. This resulted in the Pictures for Children exhibition at The Fine Art Society in 1900.

The papers are lithographs printed by Jellico and Co. to be fixed directly to the walls of children's nurseries.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph on paper
Brief description
Section of nursery wallpaper frieze showing children playing, 'Sheet No. 7', lithograph on paper, John Hassall for Liberty, England, about 1900
Physical description
One of a set of nursery wallpaper friezes showing a line of children on a brown field with stylised trees, moving towards the left, pulling or carrying toys. There are two children depicted on this frieze, both girls. The lead girl wears a full-length blue-grey dress with a white apron, she pulls behind her a complex wheeled toy consisting of a model chick, hen, cockerel and egg mounted on springs. The girl behind wears a red-brown dress with a white apron, she pushes a large ride-on horse with a dressed male doll upon its back.
Dimensions
  • Height: 490mm
  • Width: 1538mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Reg. No. 451546' (Printed along proper left edge)
  • 'Sheet No. 7'
Credit line
Given by Julia Cox
Object history
Given to the museum in 2019 by Julia Cox [2019/356]
Production
Six of the original design drawings for this series are also held by the museum (see B.1 to 6-2014)
Subjects depicted
Summary
‘The object is to place before children such pictures as are well drawn and well coloured and thus training the eye in infancy to discriminate and enjoy artistic work.’
Liberty Bazaar, 1898

These wallpaper friezes were produced by British illustrator and poster designer John Hassall for Liberty & Co. around the turn of the twentieth century, a time when designing for children’s nurseries was very fashionable. They were part of a wider collaboration between Hassall and fellow artist Cecil Aldin, ‘Art for the Nursery’, which was aimed at making the appearance of children's rooms more attractive. This resulted in the Pictures for Children exhibition at The Fine Art Society in 1900.

The papers are lithographs printed by Jellico and Co. to be fixed directly to the walls of children's nurseries.
Associated object
B.1-2014 (Design)
Other number
451546 - Registered Design number
Collection
Accession number
B.14-2019

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Record createdMay 9, 2019
Record URL
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